Shed Permit in San Francisco, CA
Permit Summary
Do You Need a Shed Permit?
Exemptions
San Francisco Building Code Section 106A.2(1) exempts a one-story, detached, non-habitable tool/storage shed, playhouse, or similar accessory structure with floor area not exceeding 120 square feet from the building-permit requirement. For the ordinary rear-yard shed exemption, DBI guidance also limits height to 10 feet above yard grade and requires a freestanding, ground-level location; attachment, placement on an elevated deck, or habitable/other uses require a permit. The building-permit exemption does not waive Planning Code compliance or any required trade permit.
Attached Shed Rules
The Section 106A.2(1) exemption covers detached structures only. A shed attached or connected to a house, garage, or another building is not covered by the detached-shed exemption and requires building-permit review as applicable construction or an addition.
Shed Use Rules
The no-building-permit path is for non-habitable tool and garden-equipment storage, general storage, children's playhouses, and similar uses. DBI states that using an accessory building as a home office, workshop, study, sleeping room, art or exercise room, bathroom, or other habitable/work space requires a building permit and Planning review; these uses must also meet the applicable occupancy and building-code requirements.
Zoning & Placement Rules
Zoning Rules
Building-permit exemption does not exempt a shed from the San Francisco Planning Code. Permitted placement depends on the lot's zoning and required open areas; Planning Code Section 136(c)(23) allows qualifying detached structures as obstructions in required yards, subject to a 10-foot height limit and a combined 120-square-foot area limit at grade. Larger, taller, additional, habitable, or differently located structures require project-specific Planning review and may need another authorization.
Setback Rules
Setbacks depend on the property's zone, the required front/side/rear yards, and applicable fire-separation rules. Under Planning Code Section 136(c)(23), a qualifying detached structure may occupy a required yard (subject to the 10-foot/combined 120-square-foot limitations), but the same provision does not list these sheds as allowed obstructions in required front setbacks or over streets/alleys. For sheds needing a building permit, Planning reviews the proposed location and lot-line distances; there is no universal citywide shed setback distance stated in that exemption.
Maximum Height Rules
The ordinary permit-exempt yard shed is limited to one story and 10 feet measured from yard grade to the top of the structure. This is an exemption/yard-obstruction limit, not a general right to build larger or taller sheds; a permitted shed's maximum height depends on the applicable zoning and Planning review.
Lot Coverage Rules
For detached structures occupying required yards, Planning Code Section 136(c)(23) caps their combined ground-level area at 120 square feet; a one-foot roof eave projection beyond that limit may be allowed. Separate zone-specific lot-coverage, yard, and usable-open-space standards can further constrain the shed, and a building-permit exemption does not override them.
Special Area Rules
Additional restrictions or reviews may apply in historic/conservation districts, mapped flood hazard areas, slope-protection areas, or areas governed by special building/fire rules. For qualifying flood-zone construction, DBI calls for a licensed architect or engineer to complete a stamped Flood Hazard Zone Protection Checklist and related plans. The Building Code imposes extra submission requirements for certain new structures in the Edgehill Mountain and Northwest Mt. Sutro slope-protection areas. Check parcel-specific designations before relying on a standard shed exemption.
Construction Requirements
Foundation Rules
No separate citywide foundation-type exemption was verified for storage sheds. The building-permit exemption is tied to the detached structure's use, story count, and floor area, with zoning/location limits. DBI states that a shed placed on a deck above yard grade requires a building permit. Where a shed is permitted, foundation plans, anchorage, and structural details are subject to applicable building-code review; excavation or site conditions can trigger additional documentation.
Fire Separation Rules
A building-permit exemption does not excuse compliance with applicable fire-safety rules. For permitted sheds, DBI evaluates exterior-wall fire resistance, openings and projections, and distances to property lines or other structures under the applicable building and residential codes; requirements depend on location, building separation, construction, and use. The current Section 106A.2 exemption also expressly preserves possible applicability of Building Code Section 710A.
Permit & Review Path
Permit / Review Path
For a qualifying one-story detached, non-habitable shed of no more than 120 square feet and no more than 10 feet high, no building-permit application is needed, but zoning and trade-permit rules still apply. A non-exempt shed follows DBI's building-permit application process, with plans and Planning review for location/setbacks. Projects eligible for small-project over-the-counter review may use that path; projects requiring full plan review proceed through electronic In-House Review, with a Planning Approval Letter beforehand where required.
Trade Permits & Professional Design
Trade Permit Rules
Separate electrical, plumbing, or mechanical permits can be required when a shed includes wiring, fixtures, piping, or mechanical systems, even if the shed structure itself qualifies for a building-permit exemption. San Francisco Building Code Section 106A.2 expressly preserves separate trade-permit requirements for otherwise exempt building work.
Professional Design Rules
A simple qualifying exempt shed does not require building-permit plans or a stamped design solely to claim the exemption. For permitted projects, DBI may require structural calculations, engineering plans or other licensed-professional documents according to the structural scope and site conditions. In designated Edgehill Mountain or Northwest Mt. Sutro slope-protection areas, Building Code Section 106A.3.2 specifies licensed-professional plans for certain new structures; applicable flood-hazard reviews also require a stamped checklist by a California-licensed architect or engineer.
What You Need Before Applying
Requirements
Confirm the intended shed use, floor area, story count, height, attachment, and site location. A shed outside the building-permit exemption needs a DBI building permit and must satisfy the applicable 2025 San Francisco Building Code and Planning Code; Planning review of setbacks and yard location is required where applicable. Even an exempt shed must comply with applicable zoning, fire, and other laws.
Required Documents
For a shed that requires a permit: completed building-permit application and Property Owner's Disclosure Form; plans identifying site address, scope and intended use, property lines, distances to other buildings and lot lines, dimensions, height, elevations, structural/foundation details, and other code-compliance information. Provide Planning approval or supporting zoning materials where required, plus engineering calculations or site-specific reports if requested. No DBI building-permit application documents are required for a qualifying exempt shed.